For the Love of Blood
by Hellhound09
Summary: A Demon starts to attack Suna, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi and Shikamaru are sent on a mission to help out, but this mission turns bloodier than expected. Gaara starts to hear Shukaku again, but is it really him? SakuxGaara TemarixShika and others.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The demon mission: deadly or not

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Author: Hellhound09

Beta: SoraInu-chan (CHA!) >:D

**Ok, so it's my first Fanfiction. Thanks to the awesome SoraIunchan for helping. Loves you.**

* * *

The midday sun filtered down on Konoha softly, it was calm and quiet in the large village as people took time out of their day to eat lunch. Team 7 had been enjoying their meal at Ichiraku in relative peace until a messenger bird had summoned them to the Hokage's office.

Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi walked into the fifth Hokage's office with relatively a calm attitude.

Sakura was the first to enter since Sakura was the fifth's apprentice, she felt better about entering without fear of getting hit by a flying projectile, by her irritable shishou.

Naruto followed closely behind his pink haired companion, looking around the scroll filled office for any clue as to what the fifth wanted the three of them for.

Tsunade sat at her desk reading, a concentrated look on her youthful face as she pored over the document she was holding.

The others waited silently, not daring to interrupt the blonde woman from her work when she was _actually_ working.

After a moment, the fifth looked up, a confused look marred her features for a moment as she reviewed the people standing before her.

Sakura smiled nervously at her shishou, Naruto flinched slightly as her eyes narrowed; having been on the receiving end of said look multiple times before, Kakashi seemed to giggle having been nervously trying to hide his orange book from the Godaime's sharp gaze.

"Where's Shikamaru?" She spoke, "I swore I told him to be here before you all arrived."

Sakura rose an eyebrow, slightly surprised, "We haven't seen him…" The three had come from lunch just a few moments before after having been summoned; if Shikamaru was summoned previously then they had no knowledge of it.

Before Sakura could question her shishou further on the whereabouts of Shikamaru, or the need of him for that matter, said shinobi came walking in just seconds after Sakura had let the thought filter through her mind.

Tsunade pierced her lips as Shikamaru went to stand by Sakura at the end of line, "Yare, Yare, don't look at me, I got the message late."

Tsunade made 'hm' sound and glanced back down at the document she had been writing on previously.

Sakura rolled her emerald eyes, glancing at the lazy ninja, "Or you just took your time," Sakura mumbled loud enough for only Shikamaru to hear, said shinobi mumbled 'troublesome' in reply to her accusation and mischievous smile.

Tsunade straightened herself with a sigh; taking a deep breath she turned her full attention to the four standing before her.

She could tell Naruto was getting agitated as he was practically bouncing on the heels of his feet; this _was_ taking a long time.

Tsunade smiled in amusement at the blonde whiskered shinobi, "I have a mission for you four."

Naruto's eyes lit up and he drew himself to attention, Kakashi straightened his somewhat slouched shoulders and Sakura and Shikamaru regarded Tsunade with interest.

"I have looked over it a few times, to make sure I've got all the details correct, as some of it seems… shady."

"This may be a hard mission, it may not be, but I'm sending four of you just in case."

Tsunade glanced at the document lying on her desk, "This has the possibility of being an S ranked mission, but for know I'm labeling it A."

Naruto visibly slumped, "Ah, Tsunade-baa-chan, every time you say a mission's hard its easy! And every time you say a mission's easy we get ambushed!"

"The mission is in Suna, the Kazekage sent it to me personally." Tsunade informed the blonde sharply, irritated at his outburst.

Naruto's put off face changed at the word Kazekage.

The Kazekage meant one thing to Naruto.

Gaara

"He is having trouble with a minor sand demon who is attacking the village. He has reported about 30 deaths throughout the general residence of Suna," Tsunade glanced up at Sakura, "and a lot of injuries, that's one reason you're going Sakura, they need Medic-nins, badly."

"You four are to report their and help take down the demon. Understood?"

Kakashi tilted his head, his visible eye darkening, "Understood."

Shikamaru crossed his arms; at the very least he'd get to see Temari. He hadn't seen her since she left before finding out about Gaara being kidnapped. He breathed out a sigh of defeat, "Understood."

More hard work, woman where so troublesome.

Naruto, the ever cheerful one, jumped to attention, he was completely unconcerned about the difficulty level of the mission, all he was focused on was that he was going to see Gaara once again.

"Understood, Hokage-sama!"

Sakura nodded, "Understood."

"You are to leave within the hour, so prepare yourselves, Hatake, you're heading the mission."

"Right, let's go team."

A collective "Hai" sounded throughout the office, Tsunade nodded in pleasure, "Dismissed."

It did not take long for them to take off from the gate, even with Kakashi being chronically late and Shikamaru complaining about the short notice, Naruto being a jinchuriku, with his excessive energy, couldn't wait to get to Suna. He pushed them along with his nagging and spirited energy to get going faster.

Sakura refrained from beating him into the ground for annoying them all to death since she understood Naruto's desire to see his friend.

It wasn't often they got sent to Suna.

* * *

They hit Suna in two and a half days, having traveled through the night during the last night, shaving off the half a day that it would usually take them extra to reach the village in three days time.

Naruto stopped at the top of a sand hill a few meters away from the village, Sunagakure.

A smile filtered across his features and slowly the smile turned to a full out grin at the sight that greeted him. The others stopped behind him in surprise and annoyance, wondering what had him pausing after being so excited to get Suna.

"Gaara."

His voice was deep and his grin wide, Gaara met Naruto's eyes with a nod before turning his attention to the group of four shinobi.

Gaara looked on, his jade emotionless eyes searching the group.

His eyes darkened in slight displeasure, the Hokage was either foolish or simply ignorant, for the information and stats he had sent her to only send these four… her faith in the four of them must have been high.

Hmm.

Sakura stepped a few steps forward to stand by Naruto, regarding the Kazekage quizzically.

She barely knew Gaara, she'd never really spoken to him, and he did pen her to a tree and try crushing her a few years back… and even when she went out and saved him, he never really spoke to her before this, she really knew nothing about him either…

But Naruto was confident in his friend, so Sakura would put her faith in Naruto's opinion of the young Kazekage.

But that certainly didn't mean she would let him sit there and keep them out in the sun after Naruto's hell bent rush to get here, her medic side would not allow her teammates to be out in the harsh desert heat much longer without water and nourishment.

Jade eyes regarded the small group, hard and emotionless, Sakura was not frightened of him and she was not going to stand out side in the damn desert until he decided to let them in, Kazekage or not, her chin hitched up a notch.

"We are here for the mission," Sakura informed him, since no one else seemed to be taking action.

Gaara's eyes shoot towards her.

Before, when she was younger, she would have flinched away from such a dark look, but now she stood firm and strong, her emerald eyes flaring with intelligence and determination.

Gaara's expression softened somewhat, his lips turning down slightly, almost like he was unhappy she did not back down.

"I know why you are here," he looked at Naruto, "Well… are you just going to stand there or go into the village, it's taken you a long enough time."

Sakura was irritated, he knew they wouldn't have advanced past him out of respect, they had been waiting on _him_, and here he was claiming _they_ had been the ones taking too long?

The rest of her group seemed to not care or not notice, walking past her towards the village gates, just ready to be out of the blistering desert sun.

Sakura mentally twitched as Gaara gave her a smothering look, like he was the one that was _annoyed_ with her and turned to walk back into the village.

She had always disliked Gaara's personality, for some reason it just grated on her nerves.

'This mission had better not take too long,' Sakura thought darkly in her mind as she hiked up her pack and began making her way towards the village, 'I'll have to kill Naruto if I'm stuck here too long with that damn sand jerk.'

_Damn straight._

Sakura knew Naruto was an easy target to heap her misfortunate on, she needed to blame someone and her blonde fox brother was just the perfect target.

Besides, it was his fault for being so cheery all the damn time.

Sakura walked past the village gates, wither she be irritated from her lack of sleep (Naruto's fault), sand in her shoes (desert's fault), or slightly sun burnt nose and shoulders (her own damn fault), she just felt the need to hit something.

She had a feeling she wouldn't be having a good day.

* * *

**So that's chapter one. I guess tell me what you think, so I know if I should keep going with it**.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Sunagakure

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Author: Hellhound09

Beta: SoraInu-chan

* * *

Gaara, Team Kakashi, along with Shikamaru, all walked though the village towards the Kazekage tower in silence.

Sakura eyed the busy life of Suna, somewhat impressed with the hustle and bustle when it was so hot and dry out, she herself wasn't feeling in the mood to be out in the ridiculous heat, Konoha was warm, but it was also humid and had plenty of shade.

Not only that, but it was near the ocean allowing the cool fronts to keep Konoha from being overly warm. She was momentarily distracted when a shinobi ran forward towards their small group.

She recognized her from the time Gaara had passed away, Matsuri came running up to them, stopping before Gaara; who had him self stopped when he had caught sight of her, awaiting her approach.

Matsuri looked around Gaara, eying the others with curiosity, recognizing them vaguely from the mission to save the Kazekage.

"Matsuri."

The girl snapped to attention, drawn back to Gaara and her purpose for coming to the kazekage in the first place.

"My team can take care of the demon Gaara-san!"

The way she said it told of how she felt put off, "did you really have to send for them?"

She looked at them in slight disgust, Suna and Konoha had always been on bad terms until recently, so it was understandable that some shinobi may still feel hostile towards them, but when she looked back at Gaara her face showed many different emotions, admiration, pride and that sense of love Sakura recognized all too well from her fangirl years.

Gaara regarded his shinobi silently, his face still emotionless, not giving a clue as to what he was thinking. Even with his personality change, he still showed little emotions. His eyes still had dark rings from lack of sleep, even though the Akatsuki had taken out his demon, his body just never adjusted to sleep, having depended on meditation for so long it was all he could do now.

He was kinder towards his villagers and more understanding, but still emotionless, and quite volatile, he hid this side of himself well, secretly still harboring his violent, cynical side.

"This will take care of it faster."

Gaara walked past Matsuri after one last look, daring her to argue, her expression did not change though; she was used to the Kazekage's attitude.

Sakura fought the urge to give the girl a pitying look as she walked past her, knowing it would just insult the girl to do so, so she continued on.

Gaara didn't wait for them; he went straight to the top of the tower to his office without a break in his brisk stride.

He sat down at his desk with a fluid motion and leaned back in his chair looking on as the others walked in.

Without further ado he began, "This demon showed up about 3 weeks ago, it's a minor one, smaller and less powerful than the biju but still enough to give my shinobi trouble."

Gaara glanced at Naruto who was standing with his arms crossed before him, "I don't believe the Akatsuki are interested in it. It's not very strong, but it's a trickster and quite smart for such a low level, brainless bastard."

Sakura sighed to herself at the vulgar language, quite used to it since her own Hokage said such when describing things that displeased her.

"He comes out every other night, and tonight is his night to arrive. I have been able to keep him away from the village but he's becoming more and more daring."

He shifted is eyes to the pink haired kunoichi at the back of the room, "Sakura," Emerald eyes snapped to attention, "the injured are at the hospital down the street, I'll have Temari take you."

He didn't even ask; it was like he thought her incompetent, like he had to just demand things of her. Not that she wouldn't have done it anyway, emerald eyes flared, damn him, no respect.

Swallowing down the urge to make a retort she stayed cool and nodded, fearing her outburst if she spoke.

Kakashi stepped forward, finally speaking, his eye visibly smiling in his trademark way, "Hopefully, with everyone's help, we can take care of this quickly and without incident." _And without anyone getting killed_, he silently added, demons where tricky after all.

A knock sounded on the door right before Temari and Kankuro entered, with a nod towards the group Temari put her hand on her hip and made her thoughts known, "So this is all she sent? Hmm, makes me wonder."

Shikamaru gave a suffering sigh and Sakura frowned, just how serious was this problem?

Kankuro choose that moment to speak, "I'll take you to your rooms, then Temari will take you," looking to Sakura, "to the hospital, _after_ you rest of course." Kankuro gave a little grin to the worn looking medic, he could tell from spending years with his sister she was irritated and could probably do with a break before getting off to work.

With that last sentence, Gaara looked at his brother curious, jade eyes narrowing slightly.

Temari rolled her eyes at her brother.

"Come on," Kakashi murmured as he was the first to leave the room, followed by an irritated Sakura, Naruto looked at Gaara, who had tilted his head just a little at the group's departure.

Naruto grinned at the kazekage, "It will be fun fighting next to you, Kazekage-sama."

Jade eyes lit up in surprise at the fox boys grin. Then just a little smile drew across Gaara's face, but was gone before anyone else noticed.

Naruto nodded his head and walked out with Kankuro, who hurried to the front and into the hallway. Shikamaru walked out last shuffling his feet, he glanced at Temari who raised an eyebrow, she bent her body out more from her hand that was still positioned on her hip giving Shikamaru a 'what are you looking at?' look.

With a shake of his head, Shikamaru left the room. Turning Temari gave Gaara a small smile before turning to walk out behind Shikamaru.

Temari was always kind to Gaara; and even though she would not admit it for the sake of her own sanity, she cared about him even before his personality change. She still feared him just a little though, he still had a reflex to shoot out his arm and hit anything there when touched or startled now that his sand wasn't being constantly controlled by his demon.

Even when he wasn't angry he would scare her, though she made sure he did not notice. She needed to gain her confidence back around him. With a sigh the dirty-blonde haired kunoichi hurried to catch up with the small group of Konoha shinobi.

Once it was quiet Gaara relaxed, letting his head fall back, he looked at the ceiling.

_Damn it all._

* * *

It didn't take long for night to come in the desert.

Sakura had only an hour nap after her shower before moving on to the hospital, which was worse off than she originally thought.

Suna needed help, badly.

Maybe she would talk to the Hokage about sending Medic-nins to Suna as a precaution until after the fight.

With the night came the cold.

Much colder than Sakura thought it could be in the desert, which was generally so hot during the day.

She shivered in the short skirt and shorts she had on as she left the hospital to join the others at the border of the village where Temari told her to go when she dropped her off at the hospital.

Shikamaru and Temari where the first she saw, standing close together and speaking softly.

As she walked towards them she spotted Gaara, arms crossed, looking straight out into the sea of graying sand. The sun was almost gone completely from the horizon, lying to sleep below the warm sand.

Naruto, Kakashi, and Kankuro walked towards them from that sunset. It took Sakura a little to realize who they where until see saw that yellow hair and her sensei's spiky locks.

Why were they coming from the desert? Her mind turned at the thought but all she got was they must have been doing reconnaissance, searching for clues about the demon before it got here.

Gaara rested his arms to his side once they drew closer, other Suna Shinobi soon gathered around them outside the village walls. Sakura was amazed by how little there where.

Suna must have less people willing to become shinobi, plus all the injured and others that couldn't fight.

_And the deceased_.

Naruto spotted his pink haired teammate from a way off, with a grin he came bouncing over to Sakura.

"You ready?" He had the biggest smile on his face that she'd ever seen him pull; his eyes squinted and body jumping with excitement.

"Of course, Naruto," she informed the tall blonde, a small smile tilting her own lips.

"You better be, Sakura, this will be great training, and a challenge you two better be up for." Kakashi reached her left side. He looked at her with a hidden smile; Sakura returned the smile with one of her own.

Inside though he was worried.

A cool breeze rolled over them.

Sakura shivered.

'This cold, someone should have warned me.'

She looked at Naruto and Kakashi who were wearing heavy cloths. Damn them and they're prior knowledge of the desert temperature.

"You needed heavy clothes," Shikamaru stated from in front of her, looking behind him towards her.

Temari looked also, smiling a bit at her pink haired friend from Konoha, she stepped over to the shivering pink haired medic with a smile tilting her lips.

Gaara, feeling the sand shift, looked also.

Temari reached Sakura and pulled off the tope layer of her black kimono top, revealing the short sleeved white shirt beneath.

She smiled at the surprised kunoichi.

"Don't worry, I'm used to this weather, plus it will warm up once we start fighting."

Sakura took the jacket with defeated sigh, knowing that she couldn't turn down the offer and put on the black top. Looking up she noticed those jade empty eyes looking at her.

Sakura flushed slightly and looked away towards Temari. Temari's kindness was rare, but she was never cruel to Sakura. Sakura had seen her caring first handed when Gaara was kidnapped and when she was so worried about Kankuro, when he was poisoned.

"Thanks." She murmured to the smiling blonde.

Temari nodded and walked back towards Shikamaru, who she nudged with her arm as she came to a stop by him and whispered, "It's even nicer for a boy to give up his coat. You idiot."

Shikamaru sighed knowing that was coming, "So troublesome." Temari still loved making Shikamaru's life hell.

"I guess I should have helped." Kakashi looked at Sakura, who was flushing in embarrassment from her own lack of sense, "I am standing next to you."

Naruto just looked at her, like he never noticed her not having a coat, of course Sakura knew Naruto would have given his up in a heart beat, "Ah, Sakura-chan you shoulda' said you were cold! I woulda shared!"

And as if to emphasize his point he proceeded to trap her in a bear hug.

As if she wasn't already fully mortified, she had to whap Naruto to get him off, her face pink in the shadow of the Sunagakure wall.

Sakura looked back at Gaara who shifted beside the group. He had his arms crossed again, looking at the now dark desert.

"It's coming."

Gaara's voice was pure malice.

This time it was not the cold that made her shiver. She remembered that day when they were younger. Sakura closed her eyes.

She was not scared of him.

Her eyes shot open at the sudden feeling of chakra, powerful chakra. In the distance was a figure coming towards them, but before she could figure out what of, a wall of sand covered everything.

The sand dented towards them, but held. The blast shocked Sakura, along with others she could not see, she swore the thing had been further away then that, the long range attack was a complete surprise; she hadn't even seen it coming.

Neither Kakashi nor Naruto was next to her anymore. They were closer to Gaara, as he let down the sand wall. Shikamaru was still standing in the same place, looking 'bored'. Temari was gone from the spot.

The first thing that came through was a pile of sand, Sakura tensed reading herself.

A head came rising from the sand, shocking Sakura, 'no one had mentioned it was _made_ of sand!'

The deformed demon's head lashed up quickly into the air, then downwards in a flash and ate one of the sand ninjas who hadn't even seen it coming.

It was so fast!

It shot up again, its whole body this time forming from the sand. It was about three times the size of Akamaru, standing almost twice the size of Sakura, but not even close to the Kyubi or the Shukaku's size, or power, she was sure.

It looked like a hyena with spikes that extended from its back, its eyes hollow and sharp, sand claws and teeth extending.

It smiled a bloodied grin, before her eyes it raced forward into the small crowd of spread out shinobi to find its next victim.

The shinobi started firing towards the Hyena like entity from the rocky wall that protected Suna, using many different techniques from a distance.

Sakura cracked her knuckles, emerald eyes narrowing, with one last look at the bloodied spot where the demon had eaten the shinobi, Sakura ran into the fight.

* * *

SoraInu-chan: Aw! Sammy that's so cute XD, erk not the blood and gore part, the cold and shivering Sakura part, lol, I do that all the time >

Hellhound09: The blood and gore is better. lol

Anyway Next chapter up soon.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Hyena, laughing blood

Author: Hellhound09

Beta: SoraInu-chan

**YAY! for blood. **

* * *

Blood was everywhere.

The hyena demon was making quick work of the lower level ninjas.

Even though the demon was small and less powerful, it was smart, it avoided the stronger shinobi and went for weaker of the fray using its greater speed.

Many of the ninjas took most of their energy and time making sure the demon did not attack the village, giving the demon an opening to attack and kill them, it was using their duty to take them down.

Not to mention it was incredibly fast and had seemed to be made of sand, blocking any attacks that might damage it and absorbing damaging jutsu with its sand outer.

And as if that wasn't bad enough it manipulated the wind too, giving it the ability to spin in the air changing its direction in the blink of an eye, she knew Temari was pissed that her attacks weren't doing anything, they blow forward and where stopped by the Hyena, the damn demon was using all of its body as a weapon, attacking high speed with its spiked back.

Sakura couldn't do much but help the injured; needless to say her inner self was pissed. She had the only close combat that was effective on the demon, it had come to attack her breaking through Naruto, Kakashi and Gaara to spiral towards her as she healed a shinobi, she had had little choice but to focus in on it and slam a well aimed fist into the ground to stop its momentum.

It had burst in to sand at falling into the pit she had made and ever since avoided her as much as it could, leaving her to heal the wounded. Being unable to keep up with the demon Sakura had resigned herself to healing the others around her.

She soon spotted Shikamaru, he had finally got his shadow jutsu to get a hold of the speedy bastard, Sakura gave a little smile to the scowling Shadow user, this would be the end.

The creature snarled, its eyes seem to glow red with anger.

Then it was gone.

The shinobi around them froze, Shikamaru in the middle, he had lost the demon.

He stepped backward, his eyes searching the now quiet clearing of blood soaked sand.

Gaara stood a few feet away, trying to find the beast by focusing on the movements of the sand.

Temari was doing the same with the wind.

Kankuro's puppet, Sanshōuo, slowly started towards Shikamaru.

Naruto and Kakashi waited, not for sure what to do.

The sand turned underneath Shikamaru, the jaws of the hyena lashed out grabbing his arm.

Sakura gave a startled yell and ran to his aid, Naruto made it first since he was closer, hitting the demons head with his rasangan, his eyes long since bleeding to red in annoyance that the demon had gone after his teammates so viciously.

The attack cut through the neck of the demon but the head held Shikamaru's arm tightly in its iron grip.

The hollow eyes of the demon narrowed and smiled as its body suddenly dissolved into sand, then shoot back up reattaching the head to a new body before anyone knew what it was doing.

Kakashi was there, ready for the demon.

With a quick flare of chakra and a series of hand signs he shot out a fire jutsu, cutting the incomplete body apart and throwing Shikamaru away.

By then Sakura had gotten to the demon from across the clearing, before its sand could react completely to her, she slammed her fist into the warring sand. It parted and the demon's left leg fell to the ground in a burst of sand.

Shikamaru was barely able to move out of the way of the sand demon's fall, Temari ran forward hitting the demon with her most powerful attack, summoning her one eyed weasel, the creature raced forward with the powerful wind jutsu tearing at the dissipating Hyena.

The Hyena was now open to attack and unable to defend itself, the sand around it shifted with nothing of its own will.

At the moment, Sakura swore she had seen two of the demon. The second had sank back into the ground before another attack could happen.

Gaara stood before the trapped demon, raising his hand in the sand tomb, crushing it while others attacked with jutsu.

The cries of the hyena sent shock waves in the sand around them.

Sakura eyed the distance between herself and the injured Shikamaru, Temari had him now and was trying to stop the bleeding, but dammit, if she didn't get over there Shikamaru would surly die of blood loss!

The hyena broke through Gaara's sand after the attacks had paused, spinning around in a circle, clearing its surroundings of Gaara's chakra embedded sand.

Kakashi used a water Jutsu to slow the spinning, wetting the sand and making the demon stop its mad spin.

The other ninja backed off.

Naruto looked at Kakashi, wanting badly to go to Shikamaru, "This is turning bad, I guess you won't be reading this time, huh Kakashi-sempai?"

Kakashi chuckled without amusement, "You could say that." The demon trembled, reforming itself in the center of the group of shinobi, seeing her chance Sakura pulled back from the group and made a break for Shikamaru.

It was then that everything went black.

Silence and confusion reigned over Sakura as she regained sight.

It was still dark, but not enough to see past her shoulders, it was then that something warm dripped onto her shoulder, wetting the material of the black top she was wearing.

A hazy thought drifted into Sakura's disoriented mind, why was she still wearing this thing?

She was burning up.

Then another drop hit her and snapped her from her delirium, she looked over, realizing she was leaning against something.

She reached out her arm but could see nothing.

Then a cracking noise drew her attention towards the sky, light filtered through the darkness.

The sky was cracking?

No, she was in a shield of sand.

Gaara.

The crack created a little light from the moon, the soft light fell into the sand cocoon making it fall in shadows.

She looked at her arm where she felt the warmth fall again.

Her eyes widened.

Blood, a lot at that.

She looked up into the shadowed face of the person above her, she had been leaning against his legs.

Another drop fell to the sand.

The face shifted allowing her to use the light to see the face of the kazekage.

Blood was caked over his cheeks and nose, running down from a superficial wound on his head, jade eyes however, only shown great rage.

Sakura gasped.

Gaara began to turn, moving his feet, not caring if he stepped on Sakura.

Sakura scooted over, moving closer to the back of the shield.

Her anger returning somewhat, 'He saves me then tries to step on me, typical guy.'

Gaara turned and fixed the crack with his sand, darkening the enclosure once more. It was soundless in the enclosed sand, all but Sakura's light breathing and shifting of sand around them in the shield, the temperature climbed and Sakura found it was even warmer.

Gaara tensed then, something hit the sand, hard.

Gaara lifted his left arm, using it to reinforce the sand. Sakura was shocked to find that they where being pushed back. Blood dripped to the sand in huge droplets.

The only sound in the shield other then Sakura and the shifting sand...

The attack stopped as suddenly as it had started; little cracks of light filtering in the now breaking sand.

Sakura had never seen Gaara so warn out, this mission was turning out to be harder than ever expected.

Then she remembered Shikamaru, the strong medic in her kicking in.

Sakura knew Gaara needed help, but she knew he would not take it at a time like this, and thankfully his wounds would hold a while longer.

"Gaara."

Gaara looked behind him, dark red hair covering his face, sticking slightly with the blood, though she could not see it as his face was thrown in shadows as he the sand repaired the shield.

"Shikamaru, I need to help him."

Why this made Gaara mad, he did not know and didn't care at the time.

He used his right arm awkwardly to open the back where Sakura was sitting.

Light shown in the blackness and Sakura could see that Gaara's right shoulder was bleeding as well.

Sakura's mouth opened slightly and emerald eyes widened.

"LEAVE," his eyes where angry and maybe there was a hint of pain, but Sakura didn't wait to analyze it, knowing he was straining himself.

Sakura turn and scrambled out.

Once she was out the sand enclosed again.

She ran towards Shikamaru and Temari, who where only a little further back than before.

Another Ninja stood by them.

"It's firing again," Naruto's voice cut through the rolling sand.

Sakura turned around to see the Hyena focusing Chakra in its mouth.

Her analytical mind fired into over drive, knowing Gaara couldn't block another attack like that in his injured state.

Every attack they had used so far had merely made the demon angry, except-

Sakura then thought of when the demon crumbled into nothing at her fist. All other attacks wouldn't move it, but if she made it fall its target would change from Gaara and the remaining Shinobi.

She had no other choose, she took the chance.

"Naruto watch-out," she yelled.

The blonde swiveled in time to see Sakura's fist rear back, eyes widening, he made a break for it, heading to a spot of safety away from Sakura's line of fire.

She focused chakra to her fist and hit the sand, splitting the packed ground with ease.

The crack rushed towards the demon breaking open underneath its paw.

The demon fell into the pit with a screech, the attack fired away from them, cracking the ground and screaming through the air.

Gaara slammed sand in to the pit where the demon lie immobile from the attack; the others attacking with jutsu once more.

Sand burst into the air a ways from the pit, a figure jumped out of the sand further away from the attacks.

It was not made of sand like the one they were attacking but a solid hyena demon.

It did not turn around to attack, only ran away, blood trailing behind it.

Sakura watched with slight horror as she watched her greatest fear happen to another village not her own, but it certainly didn't make it any less devastating.

The chakra attack missed its target completely but it was not enough to get it away from the village.

The huge beam struck right though the Sunagakure's wall and took out a line of houses behind it, destroying everything in its range.

Sakura froze.

Even if she had managed to keep the beam from the center of the village it had still taken out a huge chunk of their defense.

Temari looked at Sakura, her eyes sad and voice tired, "Help me get Shikamaru to the hospital."

Sakura shook off the shock from the attack, turning to the concerned Suna-nin.

She looked into Temari's eyes with resolution, glancing down at Shikamaru she saw he was unconscious. But the bleeding had stopped some thanks to Temari.

Temari saw the concern and guilt in Sakura's gaze and her eyes narrowed somewhat.

Shinobi where gathering around them now, those who weren't injured regrouping.

"Don't worry, for now we need to get the wounded to the hospital that you _saved_." She raised her voice at the "saved" part, emphasizing it for the guilt ridden kunoichi.

Sakura set her jaw and leaned foreword helping Temari carry Shikamaru without jostling his wound, at the same time taking stock of everyone else.

Kakashi and Naruto were helping others who needed it, Kankuro was coming to the aid of Temari, but Sakura could not find Gaara anywhere.

Kankuro was by their side in no time. "There's so many injured and dead," He looked at Sakura, his eyes dark.

"You may be here a while."

Then he looked at Shikamaru and his frown deepened, "Damn." It about summed up his condition.

"Shikamaru's arm is completely shattered, it will take a long time for me to fix." Sakura whispered. 'and with all these others… I just hope Gaara's alright.'

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Comments and Critiques please.. lol

Hope you liked.

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